Breaking Down the Top Blocking Performances of the 2025 AU Pro Volleyball Championship
You can’t talk about this fall’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship without mentioning the work being done at the net. The blockers across all four weeks delivered steady production in Madison and Omaha, turning in season highs, momentum-shifting stuff blocks, and plenty of crowd-pleasing moments that helped shape each match.
Five players stood out with consistent defensive impact, combining for more than 120 total blocks throughout the season. From reliable veterans to rookies making immediate contributions, these top performers anchored their teams’ front-row defense and set the tone at the net all fall.
Molly McCage
at this point only refer to Molly as The Wall 🙌 pic.twitter.com/hoBsO65F36
— AU Pro Volleyball (@AUProVolleyball) October 31, 2025
Molly McCage claimed Blocker of the Year honors for the third consecutive season after dominating at the net once again. The middle blocker remains AU’s all-time blocks leader with 149 career rejections and established a new personal best with a 0.94 blocks-per-set average, which was the highest single-season mark of her AU career after recording 0.87 per set in 2024.
McCage finished 16th on the leaderboard after totaling 69 kills and 34 blocks over the course of the season. She was the only middle to captain a team this fall and tied for the most Match MVP distinctions among middles with three total. Her season-high six blocks came versus Team Hentz in Week Three, matching her AU career high and marking the third time she reached that number in a single match. That blocks tally was matched only by Sophie Fischer this fall.
Tori Dixon
long rally leads to a MONSTER BLOCK by Sophie ‼️#AUProVB pic.twitter.com/axlwaePOBu
— AU Pro Volleyball (@AUProVolleyball) October 30, 2025
Tori Dixon finished 12th on the leaderboard while recording 26 total blocks and 17 block assists. Despite the 2025 season being four weeks instead of five like in previous years, she bested her 2024 blocking performance of 21 total blocks and 0.45 blocks per set.
Dixon’s 0.70 blocks-per-set average ranked third in the league, and her season-high four-block performance came versus Team Cooper in Week Three. The veteran middle’s consistent presence at the net made her a much sought-after middle blocker in each weekly draft.
Sophie Fischer
long rally leads to a MONSTER BLOCK by Sophie ‼️#AUProVB pic.twitter.com/axlwaePOBu
— AU Pro Volleyball (@AUProVolleyball) October 30, 2025
Sophie Fischer took the league by storm in just her first full year as a pro, recording 24 total blocks, which was third-best in the league, despite splitting playing time in some matches. The rookie middle only recorded stats in the blocks column in eight of the season’s 12 matches, but posted a high volume of blocks in those outings. She saved her best for Week Two, recording a season-high six blocks versus Team Valentin-Anderson.
Fischer’s 24 blocks marked the highest total of any AU rookie this fall, and her 0.73 blocks-per-set average ranked second in the league.
Taylor Sandbothe
ROOOOFED by Sandbothe 🏠
Team Cooper pulls within 2 of Team Hentz in the 1st pic.twitter.com/oQszvCfEsr
— AU Pro Volleyball (@AUProVolleyball) November 1, 2025
Taylor Sandbothe finished 13th on the leaderboard with 23 total blocks and 13 block assists. Her season-high three blocks in a match was a number she reached five times this season. Her 23 blocks bested her 22-block finish from the five-week 2023 AU season and were just five shy of the 28 blocks she recorded in 2022.
Her 0.64 blocks-per-set average solidified her spot among the league’s top defenders at the net.
Emily Thater
that’s something we call a Monster Block 🧱
Emily Thater creating a wall pic.twitter.com/fSJXbzZApf
— AU Pro Volleyball (@AUProVolleyball) November 2, 2025
Emily Thater broke into the top five blockers despite missing the first match of the season, recording 19 total blocks. She tallied four blocks on two separate occasions — once in Week One versus Team Kingdon Rishel and again in Week Four versus Team Drews.
Thater’s 0.68 blocks-per-set average ranked fourth in the league, showcasing her ability to make up ground, even with one match missed.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
